Official 2026 Chargers Roster Discussion | Roster Build | Free Agency

[powderblueboy]

Yes, Dexter Lawrence wasn't there for us in 2019, because we were drafting too late. We ended up with Tillery. If say the Pittsburgh Steelers had offered Cameron Heyward to us for the #28 pick in 2019, it would have been a massive mistake to turn that down and draft Jerry Tillery.

This isn't a particularly strong draft. If Mesidor and the other true first-round prospects are off the board at #22, and we can't trade down, AND the Giants offer Dexter Lawrence to us for the pick, I personally make that trade. The Giants wouldn't be foolish enough to do that, though.

We'll see on Gabe Jacas. Maybe you're right. I personally don't say someone such as him will never make it to our second-round pick because the draft is too unpredictable.

He might .... do you see Hortiz rolling the dice on that one?.... missing out means Mack will play way too many snaps or you'll stick Kennard out there too much.
Maybe you strike gold in the 3rd, and get someone you can depend on right away.

[DerwinBosa]

He might .... do you see Hortiz rolling the dice on that one?.... missing out means Mack will play way too many snaps or you'll stick Kennard out there too much.
Maybe you strike gold in the 3rd, and get someone you can depend on right away.

I like Gabe Jacas a lot, but I'm a college football fan who will occasionally look at the good and bad plays that are available on YouTube. My opinion is I would take him with the 55th overall pick. Actual NFL scouts have rated him as a third-to-fourth round prospect, though.

12. GABE JACAS, Illinois (6-3 ½, 260, no 40, 3): Started 43 of 50 games over four seasons. “Stout player,” one scout said. “Put together. Looks the part in person. Had a nice Senior Bowl.” Posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2025, giving him 27 in his career. That ranks sixth in Big Ten annals. “Fourth-round guy,” a second scout said. “If you actually study the plays that he made a lot of them are late-in-the-down production or somebody else flushed the quarterback out and he plays hard and finishes a lot of it. I don’t see him coming off the ball, flipping his hips, accelerating to the quarterback and making plays.” His 30 reps on the bench press were four more than any other edge. Arms were 33, hands were 10. “Third round,” a third scout said. “He’s such a relentless guy. He doesn’t want to give up. I just love guys like that. In nickel packages he moved into some 4-technique and did a good job in there. He’s a pure power rusher with good hand placement and active hands. He can hold the point. He can take on the kickout from the guard or tackle and hold his ground. He’s got good leverage on the goal-line in a four-point (stance) to squeeze the hole. Just lacks a burst in the open field.” Finished with 183 tackles (35 ½ for loss), the 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and two batted passes. “As a rusher he just bulls and tries to run through you,” a fourth scout said. “Not much sprint off the edge and moves. He’d be a nice backup, a special-teams tough guy. I would just see him as a 4-3 end. I can’t see him playing in space. Fourth round.” Three-star recruit from Port St. Lucie, Fla. Was a state champion wrestler.

[Boltnut]

I wasn't suggesting the 2027 first-rounder. I was suggesting our current first-round pick. I don't like trading away future first-round picks away unless it's for someone you think is going to be an elite franchise quarterback or dominant pass rusher (like the Texans' trade for Will Anderson in 2023). There's nobody in this draft I would do that for.

The draft is meant to supply your roster with relatively young, relatively cheap talent. Dexter Lawrence is neither. First round picks are just too valuable for this reason. Stick and pick. Build the roster. JH has done an excellent job thus far. There are premium players that will be due for contract extensions soon... Tuli, Daiyan, Alt... Those are your cornerstones. Bringing on older, more expensive, outside players isn't the way I'd approach roster building.

[DerwinBosa]

The draft is meant to supply your roster with relatively young, relatively cheap talent. Dexter Lawrence is neither. First round picks are just too valuable for this reason. Stick and pick. Build the roster. JH has done an excellent job thus far. There are premium players that will be due for contract extensions soon... Tuli, Daiyan, Alt... Those are your cornerstones. Bringing on older, more expensive, outside players isn't the way I'd approach roster building.

Normally I am all about building through the draft. But if I can trade the 22nd overall pick for a veteran player who's much better than what I can get sticking and picking, I'm making the trade. Lawrence probably has about four or five very good-to-great years left. I don't know how many players picked between 20 and 25 don't make it to a second contract with the team that drafted them, but I would venture to say it's a lot.

We got Khalil Mack outside the organization by trading a draft pick for him. The 1990s Cowboys got Charles Haley by trading draft picks for him. Sometimes it's worth it.

These have been the 22nd overall picks over the last ten drafts.

2016: Josh Doctson
2017: Charles Harris
2018: Rashaan Evans
2019: Andre Dillard
2020: Justin Jefferson
2021: Caleb Farley
2022: Quay Walker
2023: Zay Flowers
2024: Quinyon Mitchell
2025: Omarion Hampton

Six out of the 10 ended up not being players you build a team with. I'm being generous by putting Hampton in bold, because I'm fully confident he will be one of our best players over the next handful of years. Hortiz and Harbaugh are very good talent evaluators, but they can't create that type of player if he's not there at #22. Although we would all love to think we'll get an impact player at #22, the odds would be better by trading for Lawrence.

That said, as I have said often, it's not happening. Lol. The Giants are going to ask for more than a first-round pick in the twenties, and that's if they even are open to trading Lawrence.

[Charge!]

Normally I am all about building through the draft. But if I can trade the 22nd overall pick for a veteran player who's much better than what I can get sticking and picking, I'm making the trade. Lawrence probably has about four or five very good-to-great years left. I don't know how many players picked between 20 and 25 don't make it to a second contract with the team that drafted them, but I would venture to say it's a lot.

We got Khalil Mack outside the organization by trading a draft pick for him. The 1990s Cowboys got Charles Haley by trading draft picks for him. Sometimes it's worth it.

These have been the 22nd overall picks over the last ten drafts.

2016: Josh Doctson
2017: Charles Harris
2018: Rashaan Evans
2019: Andre Dillard
2020: Justin Jefferson
2021: Caleb Farley
2022: Quay Walker
2023: Zay Flowers
2024: Quinyon Mitchell
2025: Omarion Hampton

Six out of the 10 ended up not being players you build a team with. I'm being generous by putting Hampton in bold, because I'm fully confident he will be one of our best players over the next handful of years. Hortiz and Harbaugh are very good talent evaluators, but they can't create that type of player if he's not there at #22. Although we would all love to think we'll get an impact player at #22, the odds would be better by trading for Lawrence.

That said, as I have said often, it's not happening. Lol. The Giants are going to ask for more than a first-round pick in the twenties, and that's if they even are open to trading Lawrence.

I agree!

[Riverwalk]

Normally I am all about building through the draft. But if I can trade the 22nd overall pick for a veteran player who's much better than what I can get sticking and picking, I'm making the trade. Lawrence probably has about four or five very good-to-great years left. I don't know how many players picked between 20 and 25 don't make it to a second contract with the team that drafted them, but I would venture to say it's a lot.

We got Khalil Mack outside the organization by trading a draft pick for him. The 1990s Cowboys got Charles Haley by trading draft picks for him. Sometimes it's worth it.

These have been the 22nd overall picks over the last ten drafts.

2016: Josh Doctson
2017: Charles Harris
2018: Rashaan Evans
2019: Andre Dillard
2020: Justin Jefferson
2021: Caleb Farley
2022: Quay Walker
2023: Zay Flowers
2024: Quinyon Mitchell
2025: Omarion Hampton

Six out of the 10 ended up not being players you build a team with. I'm being generous by putting Hampton in bold, because I'm fully confident he will be one of our best players over the next handful of years. Hortiz and Harbaugh are very good talent evaluators, but they can't create that type of player if he's not there at #22. Although we would all love to think we'll get an impact player at #22, the odds would be better by trading for Lawrence.

That said, as I have said often, it's not happening. Lol. The Giants are going to ask for more than a first-round pick in the twenties, and that's if they even are open to trading Lawrence.

I would trade Hampton for Lawrence straight up but Giants would laugh and say no way.

[powderblueboy]

I like Gabe Jacas a lot, but I'm a college football fan who will occasionally look at the good and bad plays that are available on YouTube. My opinion is I would take him with the 55th overall pick. Actual NFL scouts have rated him as a third-to-fourth round prospect, though.

12. GABE JACAS, Illinois (6-3 ½, 260, no 40, 3): Started 43 of 50 games over four seasons. “Stout player,” one scout said. “Put together. Looks the part in person. Had a nice Senior Bowl.” Posted a career-high 11 sacks in 2025, giving him 27 in his career. That ranks sixth in Big Ten annals. “Fourth-round guy,” a second scout said. “If you actually study the plays that he made a lot of them are late-in-the-down production or somebody else flushed the quarterback out and he plays hard and finishes a lot of it. I don’t see him coming off the ball, flipping his hips, accelerating to the quarterback and making plays.” His 30 reps on the bench press were four more than any other edge. Arms were 33, hands were 10. “Third round,” a third scout said. “He’s such a relentless guy. He doesn’t want to give up. I just love guys like that. In nickel packages he moved into some 4-technique and did a good job in there. He’s a pure power rusher with good hand placement and active hands. He can hold the point. He can take on the kickout from the guard or tackle and hold his ground. He’s got good leverage on the goal-line in a four-point (stance) to squeeze the hole. Just lacks a burst in the open field.” Finished with 183 tackles (35 ½ for loss), the 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and two batted passes. “As a rusher he just bulls and tries to run through you,” a fourth scout said. “Not much sprint off the edge and moves. He’d be a nice backup, a special-teams tough guy. I would just see him as a 4-3 end. I can’t see him playing in space. Fourth round.” Three-star recruit from Port St. Lucie, Fla. Was a state champion wrestler.

Jacas will not come close to replacing what Odafe did for the Chargers ...he's more of a eventually try and replace Khalil Mack type guy.

You are right, he will be over drafted because of the dire need for edges.